Why are arguments and conflicts about the boundaries and limits of Islam so often about what it means to ‘respect’ the Prophet Muhammad? And why are some extremists even willing to kill other Muslims so as to defend the Prophet’s honour? This talk will begin by examining one such case, when on 24th March 2016, a Muslim shopkeeper was stabbed to death in Glasgow by another Muslim man. The murder was widely covered by the British press, who often interpreted it as a result of ancient sectarian tensions in South Asia. The victim had been a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which despite its small size, has over the last century often been at the centre of debates and conflicts about the definition of Islam in South Asia. This talk draws upon the Dr. Evans’ extensive fieldwork with this group of Muslims in order to explore why and how attempts to define the boundaries of Islam – even in the UK – so often end up in violence.

This is a University of Cambridge Festival of Ideas event, booking is required. Bookings open 25 September.